Lever-controller.



No. 745.760. PATENTED DEC. 1, 1903. G. BAEHR.

LEVER CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.6, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

EATENTED DEG. 1, 1903.

G. EAEHR.

LEVER CONTROLLER.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG, 6, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES Patented December 1, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE BAEHR, OF MOKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL TUBE COMPANY, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y., AND PITTSBURG AND MCKEES- PORT, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW' JERSEY.

LEVER-CONTROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 745,760, dated December 1, 1903.

Application tiled August 6, 1902. Serial No. 118,563. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE BAEHE, a resident of McKeesport, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lever-Controllers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to electric controllers, and more especially to those of the lever type. Its object is to provide a controller wherein all of the parts are thoroughly insulated, so as to prevent short-eircuiting and grounds or shocks to the operator, which is so constructed that it cannot readily get out of repair, or, if it does, the parts are so connected together and located that all are readily accessible, so that repairs can be quickly made.

A further object of my invention is to provide a lever-controller wherein the switchblade is given a very rapid movement compared to the movement of the hand of the operator, so as to prevent the formation and maintenance of arcs.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of a switchboard and my improved lever-controller applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the switch-blade in a different position from that shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the switchboard and controller. Fig. 4. is a plan view of the s\vitchblade,on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the same on the line 5 5, Fig. 11.

The switchboard is shown at 1, and this will preferably be formed of slate, as is usual, and will have secured thereto the contact-strips 2 and contact-blocks 3, four sets of such strips and blocks being shown, as indicated. The switch-blade is mounted on the switchboard by means of the bolt 4, and said blade comprises a body 5, through which said bolt passes, said body having its two ends preferably formed as channels, as shown. The contact-ngers of the blade are mounted on the carriers 6, which are provided with Shanks fitting in the channels of the body 5. They are secured therein by means of the bolts or screws 7 and are thoroughly insulated therefrom by the layers of insulation 8, which fit 5o into the channels of the body and project up at the edges of the shanks of the carriers 6. The screws or bolts 7 are insulated from the carriers 6 by means of suitable bushings and Washers 9, of insulating material. The operating-lever is shown at 10, pivoted, as at 1l, on a bracket 12, rising from the base of the switchboard. It is connected to the switchblade by means of the bolt 14, which is also thoroughly insulated from the blade. This 6o bolt, as shown, is connected to the switchblade comparatively near the pivotal point 4 of said blade; but its point of connection to the operating-lever 10 is at a comparatively long distance from the fulcrum 1l of said lever. 65

The movement of the lever 10 will move the connecting-bolt 14: through a given distance, and as this bolt is connected to the switchblade very close to its pivotal point the distance of movement of the contact-fingers, 7ov

which are mounted on the outer ends of the switch-blade, will be multiplied, and as a consequence a comparatively rapid movement will be given to said contact-fingers, thus preventing the formation or maintenance of arcs. The shorter the distance between the connecting-bolt l-l and the pivotal point of the switch-blade and the greater the distance bev tween said connecting-bolt and the fulcrum of the lever 10 the greater will be the multi- 8o plieation of this movement, and by varying this distance almost any desired speed ordistance of movement of the contact-lingers can be secured with a comparatively short and slow movement oi' the operating` handle. 85 The hole in the lever 10, into which the bolt le lits, is elongated, as shown in Fig. 3, to accommodate the movements of the lever 10 and blade 5 in arcs having different radii.

The contact-lingers are shown at 16, and 9o they are pivotally mounted in the carriers 6, three fingers beingshownin each set, although this is not absolutely necessary. These iingers are curved upwardly toward both ends,

so that they will readily ride over the contactpieces 2 and 8, thus not only making the operation of the switch easier, but also preventing damaging or breaking the contactngers. rFliey are held against the contactpieces 2 and 3 by flat plate-springs 17, secured to the carriers and bearing on projections 18, formed on the lingers. To prevent the current passing through the springs 17, and thus destroying their resiliency, a strip of insulating material 19 is placed between each spring and the contact-finger upon which it bears. The contact-fingers of each set are connected to the contact-:fingers of the companion set by means of iiexible strips of conducting material,such as copper or brass2l,which strips are preferably bow-shaped, as shown in Fig.3,and suitably united to the contact-fingers.

As above stated, four sets of contact strips and pieces 2 and 3 are employed, so that the current can be broken at two places and the direction of current can be reversed, depending upon which direction the controller is moved. When the blade is in the central position, as shown in 1, the contact-iingers do not rest upon any of the contact-strips, and this is therefore the off position of the controller. To indicate to the operator when this off position is reached and also to act as a sort of a check, so that he cannot move the switch beyond the off position without an effort, there is secured to the switchboard a segment 22, which is provided with a central notch 23. A suitable yielding detent in the form of a roller 24 is mounted on the switch-blade, said roller, as shown, being mounted on a slide 25, guided in loops 26, secured to the switch-blade, and being held against the segment by means of stiff spiral springs 27.

In the operation of the controller the lever 10 can be moved in either direction, depending upon the direction which the motor or other translating device is to be rotated. This movement of the lever will, through the connecting-bolt 14, impart movement to the switch-blade in the desired direction, said movement being multiplied in the manner hereinbefoie described, so as to prevent the formation and maintenance of arcs. In the movement of the switch-blade the contactiingers 16 lie over the contact strips and pieces 2 and 3, and by reason of the shape of said fingers they slide readily over such contact-strips Without danger of breaking the fingers or injuring the contact-strips. Furthermore, the contact-fingers are so mounted on the switch-blade that they are readily accessible, so that should one be injured it can be quickly removed and another put in its place, thus greatly facilitating repairs and reducing the time during which the motor, which is controlled by the switch, need remain idle. All parts ofthe switch are very strongly constructed, so that even an ignorant laborer cannot readily injure the same, and all parts thereof are so thoroughly insulated that grounding of the current is prevented and shock to the operator by reason of such grounding is not possible. 7o

1. In a lever-controller, the combination with a pivoted switch-blade, of a pivoted actuating-lever, and a stud directly connecting the actuating-lever and switch-blade near the pivotal point of the latter, said stud being connected to one of said members and projecting into asubstantiallystraight slot in the other member.

2. In a lever-controller, the combination 8o with a pivoted switch-blade, of a pivoted actuating-lever, and a stud directly connecting the actuating-lever and switch-blade, said stud being connected to one of said members and engaging a straight slot formed in the other member, the distance between the pivotal point of the switch-blade and the point of connection of the stud thereto being less than the distance between the fulcrum of the actuating-lever and the connection ofthe stud 9o thereto.

In a lever-controller, the combination with the contact-pieces, of a switch-blade, a contact-finger pivotally mounted thereon, a leaf-spring for pressing said fingers against the contact-pieces, a strip of insulating material between the said spring and the contact-linger, and securing means common to said spring and insulating-strip.

4. In a lever-controller, the combination Ico with the contact-pieces, of a s\vitchblade,two sets of contact-lingers thereon and coperating with the contact-pieces, said fingers being curved gradually toward both ends, and flexible conducting-strips uniting the lingers of the two sets.

5. In a lever-controller, the combination with the contact-pieces, ofa switch-blade, two sets of contact-fingers thereon, and liexible conducting-strips uniting the lingers of the rio two sets.

6. In a lever-controller, the combination with a switchboard, two sets of contactpieces thereon, a pivoted switch-blade moving over said two sets of contact-pieces, contact-fingers I 15 pivoted to said switch-blade on a pivot which is parallel to the axis of said switch-blade, said contact-fingers being curved toward both ends, flexible conducting-strips uniting the fingers of the two sets, and means for yield- 12o ingly holding said fingers against the contactpieces.

7. In a lever-controller, the combination with a base having contact-pieces, of a switchblade mounted thereon and insulated therefrom, a contact-carrier secured to said blade and insulated therefrom, and an operatinglever for said switch-blade.

8. In a lever-controller, the combination with a base havingcontact-pieces, of a switch- 13o blade mounted thereon, a contact-carrier seand insulated therefrom, an operating-lever 1o cured to said blade and insulated therefrom, and an insulated connection between said 1ean operating-lever for said blade, and an in- Ver and said blade.

sulated connection between said lever and In testimony whereof I, the said GEORGE said blade. BAEHR, have hereunto set my hand.

9. In a lever-controller, the combination l GEORGE BAEI-IR. with a base having contact-pieces, of a switoh- Witnesses: blade mounted thereon and insulated there- A. M. STEEN,

from, a contact-carrier secured to said blade G. C. RAYMOND. 

